When God Calls

Intro

Shepherds Video

Peace.

Stressed.

Uncomfortable.

Exhausted.

The miracle of the way Jesus entered this world must leave us with peace and filled with wonder.

Shepherds were the lowest on the social ladder.

Setup

Luke 2:8–14 NLT

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Shepherds were just doing what shepherds do.

Luke 2:15–20 NLT

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

The shepherds are not told to GO, they are told to FIND.

They listen, they go, they see, they tell, they go back.

Why did God bring the first announcement of the Savior’s birth to shepherds?

Layout

When God Calls, Listen

When God Calls, Go

When God Calls, Speak

Main Text

When God Calls, Listen.

Luke 2:10 NLT

but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.

Grayson selective hearing.

Hearing is perceiving sound, listening is paying attention.

The shepherds made a choice to listen and not merely hear.

Matthew 9:9 NLT

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

Matthew did not only hear the voice of Jesus, he listened to the voice of Jesus.

John 10:27 NLT

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Listen for the voice of God and respond as he leads.

When God Calls, Go.

Luke 2:15–16 NLT

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.

Urgency is a byproduct of belief.

Luke 2:12 NLT

And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

If we believe we have the best news on the planet, there is no moment like now to go.

We have the privilege of sharing the Good News to the world!

Acts 9:10–11 NLT

Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now.

Acts 9:17 NLT

So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 9:13 NLT

“But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem!

Acts 9:15 NLT

But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.

Ananias shows us that though we may hesitate, if we’ll trust God, amazing things await.

Sometimes when we put our hesitations and reservations aside, we can be used to change the world.

If God can use a shepherd, use an outcast, use hesitation, then He can use me.

When God Calls, Speak.

Luke 2:17–18 NLT

After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished,

The shepherds did not stop at going to see, they had to go and tell.

Acts 7:59–60 NLT

As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

Stephen used his last breath to pray for the people that killed him.

When God calls, the faithful speak up.

The faithful speak up to share the love of Jesus.

Closing

Luke 2:20 NLT

The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

The shepherds were the first evangelists of the Gospel in the New Testament.

Evangelist simply means “to tell the good news.”

The shepherds took the place of the angels.

Why did God bring the first announcement of the Savior’s birth to shepherds?

They were willing to listen, willing to go, and willing to speak.

Are we willing to do the same?